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After helping to close Montgomery County's historic budget gap this year, County Council President Nancy M. Floreen says the governing body was able to turn a fiscal crisis into an opportunity to address long-term budget issues.

"We've been able to make lemonade out of the fiscal problems," said Floreen, who is seeking her third term on the council.

She points to the creation of new, more conservative fiscal policies, reduced spending and other steps the council took this year to remedy short-term and longer-term budget problems.

To balance the fiscal 2011 budget, the council helped to fill a $1 billion budget shortfall.

Despite criticism from some of her challengers in this year's election, Floreen said nobody could have foreseen the county's fiscal crisis.

"Nobody knew that Lehman Brothers was going to fail," she said. "Nobody predicted the problems on Wall Street."

Floreen, 58, is facing three other incumbent council members and five challengers in the Sept. 14 Democratic primary. Four at-large seats are up for grabs.

The general election is Nov. 2.

Since December, Floreen has served as council president, a role that pays $104,022.

After almost a decade in politics, Floreen, who served two years as mayor of Garrett Park before joining the council, says she's more policy wonk than politician.

Her focus is on the county's growth planning and transit needs, she said. Floreen, who served eight years on the county's Planning Board, said she's been a chief advocate for transportation in the county since 2002.

Of the county's transportation plan, she says, "We're taking unwanted traffic off local roads and putting it where it belongs."

Looking ahead, Floreen says she has plans to bolster economic development.

Among her top accomplishments as a councilwoman, Floreen counts her Business Development Corp., a commission approved by the council this month that will focus on attracting and retaining businesses in Montgomery County.

The commission will help make the county "more business friendly," Floreen said.

-Residence: Garrett Park

-Age: 58

-Party: Democratic

-Education: A.B., Smith College, Northampton, Mass. 1973; J.D., Rutgers Law School, Newark 1976

-Work experience: Member, Montgomery County Council, at large 2002-present; president, County Council; program manager, U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski; private law practice; U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, Federal Programs Branch; associate, Day, Berry & Howard, Hartford, Conn.

-Family: Married to writer/lawyer David O. Stewart; three adult children, Matt, Colin and Rebecca

-Top three issues: Preserve our quality of life, expand economic and educational opportunities for all residents and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability

-Campaign funds: Did not respond; $101,900 raised (latest available)

-Previous political experience: Mayor of Garrett Park

-Other affiliations: Vice chair for Transit, Transportation Steering Committee, National Association of Counties; member, Washington Council of Governments Air Quality Committee; Maryland Department of the Environments Air Quality Advisory Council; board member of Strathmore Hall Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Montgomery County, Jewish Council on Aging; founding member and past president, Montgomery Women; Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church

-Website: NancyFloreen.org